you know this is slightly off-topic but I have always thought Tennessee was hurt more than any other program by the '92 expansion.
We lost the Auburn series which was arguably the second most popular game on the schedule. And we lost the Ole Miss series, which was really important for west Tennessee Vols. Not sure how much it actually hurt but I do believe losing that game - which was often played Memphis sometimes - has done more to hurt our recruiting and popularity in Memphis and west Tennessee than anything else.

you know this is slightly off-topic but I have always thought Tennessee was hurt more than any other program by the '92 expansion.
We lost the Auburn series which was arguably the second most popular game on the schedule. And we lost the Ole Miss series, which was really important for west Tennessee Vols. Not sure how much it actually hurt but I do believe losing that game - which was often played Memphis sometimes - has done more to hurt our recruiting and popularity in Memphis and west Tennessee than anything else.

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Being a good ol West Tennessee boy I'll say I don't think anything has hurt anything as much as much as repeated ass-kickings. But West Tennessee is still Tennessee. East Tennesseans, from my experience, (I live in Knoxville now, have for 15 years) can think Tennessee territory stops at Roane Co, sometimes.